Printing of Fort Atkinson newspaper moves to Janesville

The change—an effort to improve print quality for readers and advertisers—ends 131 years of printing the newspaper in Fort Atkinson.

The change in printing and inserting locations will result in the layoff of about 20 employees. The news, advertising, circulation, graphics and distribution departments will remain at the Daily Union offices in Fort Atkinson.

“This was not an easy decision,” Brian Knox, the newspaper's publisher and president of W.D. Hoard, said in his newspaper. “This is something we absolutely tried to avoid, but the reality is the cost of employing people versus automation is very expensive, and a newspaper our size can't afford the automation.

“We determined that this was the best way that we could continue on as an information source in our communities.”

Subscribers will not see any difference in delivery times, he said.

The Daily Jefferson County Union joins the Watertown Daily Times in recently deals with Bliss Communications, publisher of The Gazette, for printing and inserting operations.

Knox said the change will reduce yearly expenses and allow the Daily Union greater versatility with color printing and advertising inserts.

Other changes will include a slight reduction in the page size, as well as an altered production schedule for the paper's employees.

About 20 employees learned their jobs were to be eliminated Friday, Feb. 7.

“The people who do these jobs are good, hard-working employees,” Knox told the Daily Jefferson County Union. “This is very regrettable, but unfortunately, it's the way the world is working.”

The paper began as a four-page weekly in Lake Mills in 1870 and moved to Fort Atkinson in 1873.